A gasoline engine and a diesel engine are totally different.A diesel engine can be found powering any type of vehicle, from three-quarter ton trucks to locomotives.Without a doubt, these motors are mainly known for their reliability.However, they are not immune to breakdown or failure, especially in the case of late-model diesel engines, which come equipped with a host of government-mandated emissions equipment.Most modern vehicles equipped with diesel engines are electronically controlled and capable of limiting output when one or more operating faults are registered.Most manufacturers refer to this load limiting function as engine derate.Engine derate is a self-protecting or load limiting function that is pre-programmed into the operating software of most modern diesel engines.This feature first became prevalent during the early years of the new millennium, when the federal government enacted more stringent diesel emissions standards.The principle of engine derate is quite similar to the emergency mode functions used by many gasoline vehicles.When an engine goes into derate, overall performance is significantly limited, as a means of self-protection.In this stifled state, an engine typically produces enough power for its operator to pull off the road and seek additional technical assistance where it is safe to do so.Engine derating can be caused by a number of specific faults, most of which are related to the emissions system.Some of the most common problems include the quality of the Diesel Exhaust Fluid Explained (DEF) and failures in the efficiency of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) catalyst.In general, failures of this type impede a truck's ability to successfully complete its automatic regeneration cycle.Modern diesel engines feature a series of exhaust sensors to monitor the efficiency of such reactions.The most common of these sensors include back pressure sensors, differential pressure sensors, and temperature sensors.If any of these specific sensors provide feedback that is out of specification, engine derate is likely to occur.Diesel vs Biodiesel: what is the difference between the two Symptoms that indicate that the automatic transmission oil level is lowGet the best of SiempreAuto every daySoon you will receive your first newsletter